Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., and for truck drivers, who spend hours sitting behind the wheel, inactivity and lack of exercise can create a much greater risk for heart disease and problems. It should not simply be viewed as a concern for passing your DOT physical, but more importantly, as a major health issue, one that can lead to a much shorter life.

Eating a healthy diet on the road can be a challenge for drivers. Truck Stops are full of easily accessible junk foods and convenient fast food options. Truckers are stressed and on tight schedules to deliver their loads on time. When you’re stressed and strapped for time, it’s easy to find yourself grabbing something not so healthy, out of convenience.

Commercial drivers face multiple obstacles to obtaining sufficient quality sleep including long work hours, suboptimal sleeping environments and irregular sleep schedules. What can you do to stay safe on the road? ….

Marijuana use is becoming quite a hot topic across the nation. It’s discussed both from a medicinal sense as well as relating to recreational use. The use of CBD oil often confuses this topic even more. Is it legal? Can it cause some of the effects of marijuana? Can it be detected in a drug screen? All are common questions that pop up not only within the general public, but also among truck drivers.

Driver health and wellness has become one of the major concerns that is effecting the trucking industry. It goes beyond simply effecting the driver and their medical exam. It leads to significant issues relating to such things as driver availability, motor carrier profitability. And most importantly it effects the driver’s ability to earn an income if they are unable to get into the cab.

It’s that time of year again – flu and cold season! The flu is rapidly spreading across the United States and is peaking in most states. For drivers, prevention is key considering calling-in to work isn’t exactly an option for most truck drivers; and medications that help treat cold and flu symptoms are often not meant to be taken while driving.

On November 19th, 2018, the Federal Insulin Use Exemption Program was ended, and the Insulin Use Standard was changed. In place of the Federal Exemption, the new standard will now allow CME’s to certify drivers who use insulin. To accomplish this, a new Insulin Treated Diabetes (ITDM) form (MCSA-5870) will need to be sent to the driver’s diabetes treating provider (doctor) by the CME. The treating provider will have to fill out the form and signify that the driver is safe to drive. Then the CME would be able to certify the driver.

We have all heard about the opioid crisis in America. It has reached such an epidemic state that both Federal and State agencies have pushed forward laws and regulations in and attempt to positively impact this epidemic. This is true in the trucking industry also. As the crisis has mushroomed into a national epidemic the number of truck and bus drivers testing positive has sky-rocked also. Recent federal data shows that positive drug tests for those working in safety sensitive positions within the department of transportation, including truck and bus drivers, has jumped by 77% since 2006.